The RoR UK Goffs National Championship were unable to take place this year because of the restrictions imposed by Covid-19. However, it’s been fantastic to see that it has been replaced by the RoR online show, the various winners of the event will be announced this Saturday and Sunday.
Keep an eye on the RoR social media channels to see which former racehorses win their respective classes. There have been a number of top-class ex-racehorses that have been entered quite a few classes.
The New One
Now 12-years-old, The New One built up a significant following in the course of a 40 race career, winning 20 times and earning over £760,000.
Included among his six wins at Cheltenham was victory in the Neptune Novices’ Hurdle and three subsequent International Hurdles.
Since his retirement from racing in 2018, he has been in the care of Wayne Jones, who also looked after him in his racing career. The New One enjoys his days out hunting with Wayne and is entered in two In Hand classes in the RoR Online Show.
Cue Card
With career earnings of over £1.4m, Cue Card won 16 of his 41 starts, including 9 Grade 1 races prior to his retirement in 2018.
Since leaving trainer Colin Tizzard’s care, Cue Card has adapted very well to his new career with Chris and Katie Hunnable.
He started by doing some RoR In Hand classes last summer and the plan for 2020 was to do some Ridden showing classes before the pandemic changed things.
The 14-year-old holds entries in two classes, the In Hand and Ridden versions of Always A Star, for the higher achievers on the track.
Zarkander
Bred by the Aga Khan and a half-brother to the brilliant mare Zarkava, Zarkandar, was retired from racing in 2018 having won eleven races in an eight-year career.
Grade 1 victories at Cheltenham, Aintree and Auteuil helped Zarkandar amass almost £1 million in prize money.
Following his retirement, Zarkandar was generously gifted to Lucinda Sims and he has been thriving since, doing a bit of everything, including dressage, showing and some hunter trials. He holds entries in eight classes, including In Hand and Ridden classes.
Toast Of New York
In a globe-trotting career on the racecourse Toast Of New York was the winner of the UAE Derby in Dubai and was beaten just a nose in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita.
Now based with Charlotte Illingworth in West Yorkshire, ‘Toast’ has been entered for two classes, including the Always A Star In Hand class.
The gelding’s former trainer, Jamie Osborne is among the judges drawn from the racing and showing worlds who kindly agreed to select the winners.
Saint Are
A popular and talented staying chaser, Saint Are reserved his best career efforts for Aintree, with two victories on the Mildmay Course to go with a runner-up and a third placed effort in the Grand National.
A striking dark bay gelding, he has had no problem impressing judges in the show ring following his retirement from racing in 2016.
Ridden and looked after by Sophie O’Keeffee, the 14-year-old ex-racehorse holds entries in both the In Hand and Ridden classes for Always A Star.
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